where does the debt ceiling fit into this? it just ensures that we pay the bills that we already spent. why are they talking about the two issues as if they're the same? >> why do they do a lot of things. but the question as that vote approaches in february or march whenever it's going to be, there are two questions actually. number one will boehner let a vote happen as he did with the fiscal cliff. he did let that vote happen. rick pearlstein mentioned the rule that boehner broke that rule for the fiscal cliff. will he break that rule again knowing that it will only get a certain number of republican votes. that's a. and b, how many republican votes will it get it being a clean debt-limit raising bill attached to no cuts. we assume that democrats would vote for that. it would mean twenty-something or 30 republicans--would that many republicans--i know obama got 85 on the fiscal cliff deal. but this is going to be a tougher vote for republicans on the debt ceiling. will he get 25 or 30. >> john: alex we have 20 second left. le